


Carry You Home

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Shadowhunters Tarot Series [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Found Family, Gen, change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:27:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23376895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Catarina feels like the world as she knew it is shifting around her - the only question is does she fall back into the comfort of familiar patterns, or make the bold decision to take on her biggest change yet.
Relationships: Catarina Loss & Madzie, Magnus Bane & Catarina Loss
Series: Shadowhunters Tarot Series [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1664110
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23
Collections: Shadowhunters Tarot Challenge





	Carry You Home

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the collection's third card: Wheel of Fortune: "A battle between a peacock and a serpent tumbles across this card as a second snake consumes its own tail in its attempt to untangle itself and join the fray. Another opportunistic bird seems to swoop in from above in a cyclical struggle for dominance. The Wheel of Fortune presents itself as the opportunity for change, luck (whether good or bad), and an invitation to break patterns. We are creatures of habit, and old habits die hard. We can willfully ignore the call that this card gives us, to end a habit that doesn’t serve, to take the offer of change, but the Wheel of Fortune will keep turning until it comes around again. Only the next time may not be as easy. The stakes will be higher. The consequences more dire. The Wheel will continue to turn whether you want it to or not; that is for certain. However, you are in control of how you handle it. Will you break the cycle? Fortune favors the bold."
> 
> And (as a bonus challenge I set for myself) focused on [this stunning Shadowhunter's Tarot set's Wheel of Fortune:](https://twitter.com/SERAPHERZ/status/1159791401342652421?s=20) Catarina Loss

She thinks she has forever, and it’s easy to believe when she’s going through century after century keeping up with Magnus and Ragnor. Magnus, constantly getting himself into some sort of trouble or another with what should be harmless antics that somehow always get just a bit too out of hand. Ragnor, caring more than he ever cares to admit, even going so far as to teach at the Shadowhunter Academy in an attempt to mold some young minds while there’s still enough individuality left in them to influence. They try and fail and try again, more times than she can remember, at more things than she can keep track of: always on the go, looking for something new, something _more_. 

When you’re immortal it’s easy to believe you have forever. 

Ragnor’s death changes that in an instant. She blinks, and forever is gone. Their routine of meeting up, getting into (and getting back out of) trouble, and then going their separate ways for a while only to get together and start the cycle back over again… well, there is no cycle any longer. Not without the constant that was Ragnor. 

Magnus feels it too, but she watches him deal with his grief in his own way, by distracting himself with new trouble courtesy of the Shadowhunters he’s involved with. She’s tempted to follow him right into it - to lose herself in the same cycle she always has, just for something familiar. 

And then something entirely _unfamiliar_ crosses her path, in the form of a young warlock child in need of someone to watch over her. It’s scary, the idea of taking that risk, of trying something so new. No one expects her to shoulder this, and no one will say a word if the girl is sent away to someone else to care for her until they find her a permanent home, but… 

But. 

Things happen when they do for a reason. Alec happened into Mangus’ life right now for a reason, Catarina is certain of that more and more every day, and perhaps Madzie happened into hers for a reason as well. Cat’s never been one to back down from a challenge, and one look at the way Madzie takes to Magnus, Alec, and those around Catarina she knows will help her along the way, has her thinking that maybe this isn’t such a ridiculous idea after all. 

She volunteers, very casually at first, to watch Madzie for a day or two, just until they can get things in order. They’ll probably find a place for her by then and that’ll be that. 

Except they don’t, and Catarina keeps her another day, and then another. They get along really well, almost _surprisingly_ well, and if Cat had any doubts about this at the start she certainly doesn’t any longer. She doesn’t want Madzie to end up floating from foster to foster, or worse, with another warlock like Iris who may want to take advantage of her growing power and impressionable young mind. It’s only then that Cat realizes exactly how attached she truly is. 

The next time Magnus comes over Cat makes sure Madzie is asleep in the spare room she refurbished for her ‘temporary’ stay before she pours them both a glass of wine. 

“Wine, eh?” Magnus asks, eyebrow raised. “What’s on your mind.”

Of course her best friend knows her ‘I want to talk about something’ tell. Beers are for lounging barefoot on the sofa after a long day, griping about patients. Wine is for serious conversations at the table, which is where they both go with their glasses. She can’t remember the last time they had wine at her table, which is telling in and of itself. 

“I was thinking- and be honest if you think this is a terrible idea-” Catarina starts, trusting Magnus to be truthful even if it isn’t the answer she wants to hear. 

“Cat,” Magnus reassures her, reaching a hand across the table. “In all the years we’ve been friends, you’ve probably had a grand total of 10 terrible ideas. I’m certain whatever this is, isn’t one of them.” 

Cat laughs at that and refrains from diverting the conversation to find out what those 10 ideas happened to be. Another time. 

“Well, things have been going really well with Madzie here. And since there isn’t a place for her yet, and if she wants to stay, of course, I was thinking…” Cat looks up at Magnus to see the smile stretching clear across his face, and knows his answer without him saying a word. She smiles in return as she finishes with much more confidence, “I was thinking I could keep her with me, permanently.” 

“I think that’s probably one of the _best_ ideas you’ve ever had,” Magnus says. 

“Really?” She asks anyway, because as supportive as he’s being she still has her doubts. 

“I’ve seen the way you two get along. I was hoping you’d offer, actually, but I didn’t want to put that on you, with everything else happening recently, and your work at the clinic…” 

Cat nods. “Yeah. It’ll take some adjusting, but I can cut back at the clinic. I know it’s a lot, but I really think this will be good for me right now. For both of us.” 

“Me too,” Magnus agrees. “I’ll run it by the Council but I don’t think anyone will have a problem with it.” 

“Thank you, Magnus. I’ll ask Madzie in the morning. No sense getting my hopes up for the Council if she doesn’t want to stay.” 

“She’ll say yes. They both will,” he promises, and there isn’t an ounce of doubt in his voice. Cat only nods in response, taking a long sip out of the glass in front of her, considering the drastic change of direction her life just took over one five minute conversation. 

So much is changing so quickly, and it’s enough to unsettle anyone. It’s a bold move, even for her, and more of a gamble than she’s used to making - not just with her own life this time, but the life of a child as well. But she can’t fall back on the comfort of routine when there’s something she can do to help, especially at a time like this. 

The next morning, when Madzie emphatically agrees to stay, Cat knows her choice was never really a choice at all. This is just as much of a change for Madzie as it is for Cat, but if Madzie believes in her the least she can do is believe in herself. Cat just hopes she can continue to be bold enough for the both of them while they navigate this new path in life together. 

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell)! <3 )


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